The three candidates offered unique takes on the city's economic future, with Sarno praising the work already being done in the city, Pepe urging lower taxes as an incentive to draw in business and Tosado focusing on growing businesses within the city's borders.

Pepe said she'd take an inventory of existing businesses in Springfield, and seek to draw in "satellite businesses" from national corporations to set up a presence in the city.

"But to do that, the first thing you have to do is lower the taxes on the businesses," Pepe said. She went on to say that crime in the city was hindering business development.

Tosado said the city needs to shift focus from trying to draw money into the city from elsewhere toward investing in the people and businesses that are already here.

"I think we need to put the same kind of effort into growing the middle class in the city of Springfield, and we do that by helping small, local businesses grow, who will live here, and whose employees live here."

Sarno, the incumbent, spoke to efforts already underway in the city, particularly DevelopSpringfield, a 501(c)(3) corporation established in 2008 that seeks to spur economic development in the city.

Sarno said the nonprofit is "concentrating specifically on the Springfield area, is giving out loans and grants up the Main Street Corridor and State Street Corridor as we move foreward."